Small bites: Jolly Goode Yogurt brings froyo to Brevard

Couple Jen and Nathaniel Jolly recently opened a pay-by-the-ounce frozen yogurt shop in Brevard where pirate enthusiasts (and non-marauding types) can now serve themselves from a wall of ready-to-swirl treats.

“We have 12 different flavors of yogurt, and if you mix them, you can come up with 18. Or you can go crazy and do your own thing,” Nathaniel says of Jolly Goode Yogurt, noting “loads of toppings” like chocolates, sprinkles, marshmallow cream sauce and sour Gummy Worms.

Complementary flavors are positioned side-by-side for a more convenient swirling experience. “If you’re a coffee drinker, you would probably really love [mixing] salted caramel and espresso,” Nathaniel says. “If you use the middle lever, it mixes them together, and it ends up being kind of like a caramel latte, which is amazing.”

While most options will remain constant, Jolly Goode Yogurt will offer a rotating flavor of the week. Nathaniel lists bright pink cotton candy, pineapple and toasted coconut as several favorites that will appear on the menu.

Nathaniel credits his wife and business partner as “the brilliant one behind the idea” to give the shop a pirate theme — something he’s never seen in a self-serve yogurt shop. Furthermore, he’s not aware of any self-serve froyo shops (theme or not) in Brevard and cites a shop in Hendersonville as the nearest.

Jen’s concept is apparent in the décor along the wooden wall from which the soft-serve is dispensed, invoking a shipwreck site. Employees in pirate-themed uniforms will sell toy treasure chests, play swords and other gear for seafarers.  “And we do encourage the employees to speak in pirate lingo,” Nathaniel says, adding that customers are welcome to bend their vocabulary accordingly.

Nathaniel says more decorations are still going up. “Eventually, what we want is for people to step into a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ feel, so they just feel like they’re in a whole pirate world.”

Although they’re launching at the onset of winter, the Jollys believe customers will be willing to brave the cold months. “As it turns out, if you like frozen yogurt, [you] generally like it year-round,” Nathaniel says.

Jolly Goode Yogurt is at 31 S. Broad St., Brevard. The shop’s winter hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Visit facebook.com/JollyGoodeYogurt for updates.

Bonfire Barbecue spreads out

Bonfire Barbecue is expanding into an adjacent storefront, where owners Stephanie and Jeff Barcelona will add a bar, patio and game space with pool tables, foosball, pinball and a jukebox in addition to extra seating. The Barcelonas have planned an interior design that uses wood, metal, concrete and artwork by Brushcan Murals of Asheville. Once upgrades are completed, patrons can enjoy later hours and the occasional live band on weekends. The timeline of changes is uncertain, as the couple are still pursuing permits.

Bonfire Barbecue is at 1056 Patton Ave. Visit bonfireavl.com for more information.

Cúrate’s expansion plans

Spanish tapas eatery Cúrate has long-term plans to take over the neighboring space at 13 Biltmore Ave., which was already owned by chef Katie Button‘s family business, Heirloom Hospitality Group. Although the closing of Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt left the spot vacant, the chef’s mother (and business partner) Elizabeth Button says, “Right now, we don’t have plans for leasing it to anyone else, but we’re not talking about doing anything in 2016.” Elizabeth says eventual developments will provide more seating that aligns closely to Cúrate’s existing operations without being “a carbon copy.”

Cúrate is at 11 Biltmore Ave. Visit curatetapasbar.com for more details about the restaurant.

Publix supports the Special Olympics

In addition to donating 3 cents to the Special Olympics for every Proctor & Gamble brandSAVER coupon used in January, Publix is selling paper torches at its checkout registers in support of the event for intellectually disabled individuals. These symbols of support, available Jan. 2-23, range in cost from $1-$10 each and include a booklet of coupons valued at $19 toward select Proctor & Gamble products. Shoppers can also meet local athletes and N.C. Law Enforcement Torch Run Officers in Publix on Saturday mornings in January.

Publix is at 1830 Hendersonville Road. Visit publixcharities.org to learn more about the grocer’s charitable partnerships or specialolympicsnc.com for details about Special Olympics North Carolina.